


Baby It's Cold Outside

by Burgie



Series: The High School AU of Fluff and Good Things [4]
Category: Star Stable Online
Genre: 12 Days of Ficsmas, M/M, flangst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-17
Updated: 2018-12-17
Packaged: 2019-09-21 11:10:17
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,256
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17042618
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Burgie/pseuds/Burgie
Summary: In which Daine's family are assholes, but at least he has Ydris to come to his rescue. Daine belongs to HellishSam.





	Baby It's Cold Outside

**Author's Note:**

  * For [HellishSam](https://archiveofourown.org/users/HellishSam/gifts).



This had officially been the worst Christmas ever. As he lay on his back on his bed, tears still staining his cheeks, the words of his family still ringing in his ears (the laughter, the slurs, the way that his father had just called him a fag while his fucking brother had just laughed), Daine tried to will the letters on the keypad of his phone to stop swimming. He could still read Ydris' last 'I love you' message, but only because he'd read it over and over these past few nights when he'd really wanted to see his boyfriend but had been unable to.

Daine rubbed his eyes with the sleeve pulled down over his hand, his nose feeling stuffy from crying so much. Of course, he hadn't actually come out, he didn't want to do that on Christmas, but damn, it was getting closer and closer. It had been all he'd been able to do to just remain sitting there while his parents had casually insulted and slandered the entire community that he belonged to. Eventually, he'd excused himself up to his room, claiming a stomach ache. Which wasn't far from the truth, their words sickened him. It had been so damn hard to brush off the insults, play along, pretend that their words weren't knives in his heart. He stared up at his ceiling, at the glow in the dark stars that were still stuck there from the time when he'd had dreams of someday seeing the stars up-close and personal as an astronaut. They still managed to calm him, even now, when his heart felt trampled. The Christmas music playing downstairs felt like it was another universe away.

And eventually, when Daine looked back at his phone, the letters stayed still long enough for him to tap out a careful message to his boyfriend. He could've asked Willow, could've asked Louisa, could've asked any of his many friends from the Rainbow club. But maybe he was just a pathetic fucking romantic who wanted his boyfriend to swoop in with his sports car and save him. Not even Cloud could make him feel better, though the dog tried. He'd been licking Daine's hand, but now he lay with his body pressed up against Daine's as a comforting sort of anchor.

"Can u cum get me" Daine sent to his boyfriend, his thumbs trembling as he pressed send. He only had to wait a few moments before the three dots signalling his boyfriend's answering text appeared.

The knight emoji appeared, along with a car emoji, and Daine closed his eyes against the tears as a huge grin spread across his face. His body shook with sobs, Cloud lifting his head with a whine. Daine run his hand over the fluffy white head of his dog.

"He's on his way," Daine whispered around the lump in his throat. "Thank fuck."

By now, it was second nature for Daine to slip out the window, his sneakers only slipping slightly on the icy tiled roof. He made his way to the large tree that grew by his window and shimmied down it, relieved when he landed on the ground. He quickly dashed to the nice bush hedge that grew near his house, ducking down behind it while his heart pounded. He listened intently, shivering now from the cold as well as the fear despite his black knitted fingerless gloves, black beanie, thick black winter pants, and fur-lined denim jacket. Damn, he'd left his fucking scarf inside. Oh well, Ydris' car had a heater. In almost no time, Daine heard the front door of the house open, followed by his mother telling Cloud not to stray too far. Mercifully, Cloud sniffed around in the yard a little at first before he made his snuffling way over to the hedges where Daine hid.

"Good boy," Daine whispered, patting Cloud's head and rubbing the thick fur around his neck. And then, as he was warming his hands in Cloud's ruff and debating if he should do the same with his face, Daine heard the rumble of Ydris' fancy purple sports car. Immediately, a grin lit his face and he turned and ran to where his boyfriend usually parked, hidden behind a very large tree.

"There you are," said Ydris, keeping his voice low as he leaned over and opened the door for his boyfriend. Heat rolled out, only adding to the warmth that Daine felt in his boyfriend’s presence.

"Cloud's coming too," said Daine. Ydris groaned and rolled his eyes.

"I just had the seats cleaned, now the whole car's going to smell like wet dog," said Ydris, but he didn't sound too upset. Especially not when Daine didn't smile as he usually did at his jokes. Immediately, Ydris dropped the playful attitude. "Of course he can come, Daniel." Daine felt his heart do a little flip at the gentleness in Ydris' voice as he let Cloud hop onto the back seat. Cloud flopped down immediately, panting with his long pink tongue lolling out. Ydris didn't even comment on his breath, only watching Daine fondly as Daine slid into the car and pulled the door closed behind him.

"Thanks," said Daine as the car started moving.

"How bad was it?" Ydris asked, his tone a little more serious than usual.

"I'm this close to spilling it," said Daine, holding his thumb and forefinger an inch apart. "But just- fuck, can we not talk about it? I've cried enough already today." He rubbed at his eyes with his sleeves again, Ydris flicking him a concerned glance in the rear-vision mirror.

"Of course," said Ydris. He focused on the road while Daine started to relax in his seat, comforted by the throbbing of the engine and the sound of Cloud on the backseat behind him. That and the feeling of Ydris beside him. Times like these, he wished that Ydris had a bench seat in the front of his car. Even if it would make it harder to reach back and pet Cloud, as he did now.

As they idled at a set of lights, Ydris looked at Daine again. Daine was always enchanted by those bicoloured eyes, he swore the brown one looked purple.

"There's a present for you in the glovebox," said Ydris. "Open it."

"Okay," said Daine, nerves tangling in his stomach as his shaking hand reached for the glovebox. He opened it and, sure enough, inside was a square-shaped gift wrapped in festive red wrapping paper adorned with little stockings and candy canes. There was a fancy pink ribbon on it, too, and Daine's name scrawled in elegant script on a nametag. Ydris' handwriting made Daine want to cry, it was so beautiful. And then, Daine did cry after he tore through the wrapping paper.

"Merry Christmas, Daine," said Ydris, his voice so gentle as he gazed at his boyfriend. Daine quickly leaned across and kissed his boyfriend, not caring about the car blaring its horn behind them. They could fucking wait, he was having a moment.

"Thank you," said Daine, grinning as he pulled away and stared down at the Pvris album he held in his still-shaking hands.

"Feel free to play it," said Ydris, nodding his head to his car stereo as he continued driving. Daine didn't even hesitate, he just opened the disc cover and slid the disc into the player. As the music surrounded him, he reflected on how strange it was that he was listening to decidedly non-festive music at this time of year. But he really didn't care, he was just so happy that his boyfriend had done this for him, thought about him.

Ydris took the long route back to the trailer park, and Daine knew that it was so that he could calm down by listening to his favourite music artist. It worked, too, he felt completely calm by the time that Ydris pulled up outside of his trailer just as the last song finished.

"Here we are," said Ydris, getting out of the car as Daine got out and let Cloud out. Ydris looked at his trailer, an odd look of pride on his face. "Home sweet home." He still remembered when Ydris had been so self-conscious about this, unwilling to take Daine back to his house even when Daine had specifically requested it. Daine's family was so well-off, he said, surely, Daine wouldn't want to go back to a trailer park. But Daine liked it here, because Ydris lived here. His boyfriend. And they'd had so many good times here, just hanging out in the trailer or sitting by the fire talking or just... relaxing, away from the world that Daine was used to.

"Yeah, it is," said Daine, feeling completely at peace as he stood in front of Ydris' trailer while his dog ran around sniffing everything. Even though it was dark, that didn't matter to Daine. There was still a warm fire glowing in the oil drum out the front of Ydris' trailer. Logs surrounded this, acting as seats, which Ydris gestured to Daine to sit on while he stepped inside of his trailer for a moment.

"I will return momentarily, my sweet, with refreshments," said Ydris, leaning out of the trailer door with a grin. Daine found himself grinning back, his first genuine smile all day. He could hear Christmas music playing from elsewhere in the trailer park as he sat down. A few people were tunelessly singing carols, several other groups of people sat around barrels with mugs of hot drinks warming their hands and merriment in their voices. Even though so many here were poor, so many deserved so much better than the hand they'd been dealt... they were happy here. Surrounded by friends, by the family that loved them. Daine could relate. Maybe he might be here one day. Kicked out, abandoned, homeless...

Daine's lips tingled with the emotion, almost seeming to numb at the cold realisation that chilled him better than the snow and cold weather ever could. He might be here next year because he had no other choice. He might have to live with Ydris, and what if they broke up, what then? He'd be completely homeless, without anyone, and then he'd have to live with Willow, and she'd end up hating him because friends couldn't live together, and then Louisa might take him in but what would anyone do with a sad gay kid and-

The sensation of heat snapped Daine out of his thoughts immediately, and he startled out of his fear-induced trance to find Ydris crouched in front of him, frowning sadly as he held out a cup of steaming hot liquid.

"You're here now, I'm here, you're safe, Daniel," said Ydris, his voice so gentle that it managed to melt the edges off of Daine's anxiety. At least, enough so that he could take the cup without his shaking hands threatening to spill it.

"I'm so fucking scared of them finding out about me," said Daine, a tear sliding down his face. It was so warm in the cold air. Ydris wiped the tear away with his white-gloved thumb.

"Shh. It will be okay," said Ydris. "You have not only myself but your many friends, should the worst come to pass."

"It's only a matter of time before they find my phone," said Daine, his voice hoarse. "Before they overhear something or one of their friends hears or sees something that gets back to them-" This time, Ydris hushed him with a finger to Daine's lips. Ydris cupped Daine's cheek with his hand, looking into his eyes.

"I will help you, Willow will help you, Louisa will help you," said Ydris. "But perhaps you should begin to make plans for this... eventuality. Think of it as moving out so that you can live as yourself." Daine trembled, closing his eyes. Ydris grabbed Daine's mug before it could topple to the ground, setting it on the small metal table that sat by the fire so that he could sit on the log beside Daine and embrace his boyfriend. Daine sobbed in Ydris' arms, clinging to him tightly while Ydris murmured soothing words to him and rubbed circles on his back.

"Sorry," said Daine, sniffing once he'd managed to stop himself from crying. Again. "I shouldn't be crying so much, it's Christmas." His voice was nasally now from his blocked nose, and he hated it.

"You are hardly alone in this, Daine," said Ydris. "But focus on the good things. Focus on this, here and now. Never mind how you got here, why we are here, never mind why you are here and not at home. Just focus on me. On my voice. Focus on the fire."

It worked. As Daine stared into the flickering flames, he found his racing thoughts slowing. Even his heart slowed. The upside, he reflected as he took his now-warm mug of hot cocoa from Ydris, was that at least his drink had had time to cool. He sipped on it, enjoying the taste. Ydris had once fretted that it was only cocoa powder and not real chocolate and made with mostly water instead of milk but honestly, Daine didn't care. It still tasted good. And Ydris felt good, their shoulders pressed together as they gazed into the fire and enjoyed their hot cocoa together.

"Thank you," said Daine, leaning his head against Ydris' shoulder after he'd finished his hot cocoa. He probably had a milk moustache, but honestly, he didn't care.

"Your presence is the only present that I require," said Ydris. Any fear was doused by that terrible pun, but Daine still felt a little bad. He'd gotten a star projector for Ydris for Christmas last year, but this year, he hadn't bought anything yet.

"I could... give you something else that you really want," said Daine, fear turning his lips a little numb again. Ydris lifted his head, looking Daine in the eyes.

"You don't have to," said Ydris. "I can wait for you to be ready, I've told you this many times now."

"But I didn't get you anything," said Daine, his voice low as he ducked his head into the collar of his jacket. "There's just me here and, well..."

"I suppose... if you spend the night with me..." Ydris trailed off, sounding strangely uncertain. "I don't expect anything, I only want to feel you asleep beside me. To wake up and see you in my bed beside me. To fall asleep with you in my arms, or vice versa." Daine opened his mouth to argue, but nothing came out.

"Are you sure?" Daine finally managed, able to speak once Cloud wandered up to him and nudged Daine's hand so that his owner began stroking his fluffy head and playing with his ears.

"Yes," said Ydris, his voice ringing with sincerity. "I would never do anything to cause you discomfort, Daine."

"Well, shit, I'll just let Willow know," said Daine. He'd discussed a situation similar to this with his best friend before, that she'd be his alibi if he ever wanted to stay the night at Ydris' or if he ever didn't come home for some reason. His hands trembled again as he sent a text to his best friend, but for an entirely different reason this time. He was glad that Willow wasn't the kind to send back a winky face, just a simple 'ok hand' emoji. Daine grinned at Ydris, feeling butterflies taking flight in his stomach.

"Allow me to show you to your quarters," said Ydris as he stood and gestured to his trailer with a flourish.

"I've been here before," said Daine with a laugh as he followed his boyfriend up the two steps and inside of the trailer. To his left was a simple little kitchen with some benches, a fridge, a microwave, some higher cabinets, the kitchen sink, and an oven and stovetop all squeezed in there. Directly in front of him was another cabinet, this one for keeping linen. And to his left, on either side of a narrow walkway, was a booth seat, more cabinets, and, at the back, a divider separating two bedrooms. There would be no sound muffling, but it was enough so that any light in Ydris' room was kept out of his mother's room. His mother was out, as usual, not that Ydris seemed to mind. He was quite independent.

"Your quarters, my sweet," said Ydris, bowing after entering his bedroom. It was fairly simple, a water bed covered in purple silk sheets with a purple velvet comforter crammed up against the left wall. There were more blankets on it at this time of year, of course, all in varying shades of purple. Against the dividing wall was a chest of drawers, and there was a nightstand by Ydris' bed. The only things on the nightstand were Ydris' alarm clock (the purple numbers glowing and declaring that it was ten pm) and the star projector, which Ydris now walked over to and switched on. Daine pulled the curtain that acted as a door across behind him, a slow smile spreading across his face as he looked up at the star display that now covered everything. It was the only light in the otherwise-dark room, Ydris having decided not to turn his bedroom lamp on.

"Looks comfy enough," said Daine as he crossed the room to the bed and sat down. He immediately sank into the water bed and let it happen, flopping onto his back and staring up at the starry ceiling with his hands folded over his stomach. Ydris came and stood over him, smiling down at his boyfriend. "You're blocking out the stars."

"I think you will find that I am the stars, Daine," said Ydris with a chuckle. Daine laughed too, the bed moving under him with the motions of his body. God, sex in this bed would be weird. Or maybe it would be good.

"That was terrible," said Daine. He kicked his sneakers off and wriggled around on the bed, the motion of the bed making him feel as though he were on water or on a boat. Finally, he settled against the wall, looking over at his boyfriend. "Well, are you coming?" Ydris needed no further prompting and, grinning, kicked his own sneakers off and crawled onto the bed with his boyfriend. They kissed a little, the rocking of the bed making it a little awkward, but pulled away after too many near-misses with teeth and noses thanks to the movements.

"Well, this is nice," said Ydris, breaking the peaceful silence.

"Yeah," said Daine. He felt like he was floating, and not just from the bed. Though the bed didn't exactly do much to dispel that notion, either. "I... I really like this. Being in bed with you. Like this. Not-" He blushed, turning his head away. Ydris kissed his cheek.

"I know what you mean," said Ydris. "And I feel the same way." Daine grinned.

Nothing needed to be said, not really. It was enough to just lay here, enjoying each other's company. And, when Daine looked up, he could pretend that he was in space. Maybe they were just two gays in space. Maybe that was what it all boiled down to. Maybe it really would all be okay.

He was still going to get Ydris a decent fucking Christmas present, though. Because damn it, after today, tonight, everything, his boyfriend deserved it. His boyfriend deserved everything.


End file.
